The Hawaiian gazette., 1887-11-29
Visionary Dangers.

EDITOR GAZETTE: l agree with Mr.. A. S.
Hartwell, in last evenings Bulletin, that the
bills for reorganiZing the police forces, for
abolishing the Office of Governor, and for re-
organizing the military forces, are measures
affecting the rights and liberties of the
people, but do not agree with him that these
are Fundamental" measures. If Mr.. Hart
well will take the trouble to inform himself
properly, he will learn that the "funda-
mental" measures we're all carried, without
Act of Parliament, on the Both of June last.
The only way in which the proposed meas
ures can become " fundamental is when
members of the Legislature allow them
selves to be hoodwinked by Mr.. Hartwell
and others into the nonsensical ideas that it
is not safe TO transfer the functions of Gov
errors to other officials, and that it is de-
lusive to suppose that "we are now to be gov
erned by a responsible Government, whose
action will always be directed by body of
Independent legislators chosen by the
people" This learned gentleman sees dan
ger in the Cabinet appointing District
Judges. Has he, within the past twelve
months, sought Justice in a District Justices
Court He certainly has not, or he would
see little danger in transferring the appoint
ment of these officers to A responsible Min
lister of the Crown and to the Judiciary.
When addle-headed, unlearned and ignorant
District Justices can now be cou tied III tens,
the mode of appointment provided in the
Attorney-General's bill will leave tnagieteii
fuuctionaries of that class 50 lew aud tar
between as to make their existerc4 phe-
nomenal. And not only SO, but 1t one DIS
trict Justice in any island in the kuguom
proves himself grossly incompetent. it will
be matter of investigation in the Legisla-
ture. dow many months would the present
Legislature have to inquire, in detail, into
the character and calibre Of the wooden
10 faG gvIth urbI no 10
present, dotted over?
MIR. Hartwell is not going to feel safe when
all the functions of Government exercised by
Cabinet Ministers in other countries, such as
the United States and Great Britain, are to
be placed in the hands of the Hawaiian Min
is,ry. Perhaps he would feel safer if the
Ministers could be bounced ont of bed at
midnight to turn over their portfolios to
their successors without the privilege of ask
ing who these successors are?
If the Ministers can be trusted by the Leg
islature with the multifarious duties and
powers conferred on them by law outside of
the control of the police and the nomination
of District Justices, | cannot see and no
reasonable person can see wherein the
danger lies of adding these to the list of their
If Ministers can be trusted
out of sight of the Legislature to take care of
the public health, dlSburse the revenues, run
build roads and landings, aud
provide for the education of the people;
where is the danger to anybody's rights in
their directing the Police and District Courts
Whose rights are going to be in
fringed?
l agree with Mr.. Hartwell that we ought to
be cautious. That is precisely what the
people want. And among other elements of
caution that the people expect their legisla
tors TO be possessed of is that the country
SHOULD have no more side shows ia govern
ment, such as idle Governors and undismiss-
able policemen of undoubted uselessness.
REFORM.
Honolulu, Nov. "a, 1887.